Safety highway approach to railway crossings



Oct. 26 1926. 1,604,835

I E. A. MACBETH SAFETY HIGHWAY APPROACH TO'RAIL WAY CROSSINGS Filed July15, 1926 Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

, IT EE S TAT EDMOND A. MACBETH, 0F HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA.

SAFETY HIGHWAY APPROACH TO RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

Application filed July 15,

This invention is .a novel improvement in safety highway approaches torailroad crossings, and the principal object of the invention is toprovide means for preventing accidents to vehicles at railroadcrossings, by compelling the operator to retard the speed of the vehiclebefore reaching such crossings, and to compel the driver to observe thecrossing signal at a distance from the track .and hence realize theproximity of the crossing before it would be too late to slow down orstop.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for so positioningthe vehicle on the highway that the driver in one position will get aclear view down the track, and inanother position a clear view up thetrack, thereby reducing the possibility of accident caused by the rapidapproach of an unseen train.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

It is generally conceded that a vast majority of grade crossingaccidents are caused by the failure of the driver or a vehicle to think.Usually their minds are on subjects other than the railroad track or thedanger of approaching trains. Signs placed :at the sides of the highwayare constantly over looked or not read. The fact that my in vention notonly displays warning to the driver but compels him to do a physical actaside from the regular routine of driving, 1. e., slow down and turn atan angle, before he reaches the track, is suflicient to forcibly remindthe driver that he is about to cross a railroad and hence beingforewarned he will instinctively look for approaching trains.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others toadopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims the novelfeatures of construction, and the novel combination of parts, for whichprotection is desired.

In said drawings 1- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical plan view of a railwaycrossing showing my novel safety crossing signals and obstructionsapplied to the highway.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the signal.

As shown in the drawings, A designates a public highway of usual width,and B designates a railroad track, crossing said the obstructions 11926. Serial No. 122,609.

l, 1*, being preferably about four feet in length. Obstructions 1, 1,are preferably made of stone orconcrete, similar to the usual'curbingand are sufficiently high to compel vehicles to drive around same, theobstructions restricting the effective Width of the highway at suchpoints.

Diverging from the inner members 1 of each pair of obstructions 1, 1?are symmetrically disposed lateral obstructions 2, extending from pointssubstan-tialy opposite each end of obstructions 1 to the sides of thehighway A, said obstructions 2 diverging towards the track B, as shown,and suflicient space being leftbetween the adjacent ends of obstructions1 and the obstructions 2, to permit a single vehicle to passtherebetween on each side of the obstructions 1 towards and from thetrack B.

Hence, obstructions 1, 1 2, and 3 are so placed in the highway as tomaterially re duce the effective width of the highway at such points,compelling the vehicle to follow substantially semi-circular paths(indicated in Fig. 1 in dotted lines,,) on each side of .1, in passingtowards or from the track In the center of each obstruction 1, 1 ismounted a visual signal, Jreferably comprising a metallic sign 4:, asshown in Fig. 2, said sign being preferably rectangular in shape andmounted on a suitable base embedded in the members 1, 1. Sign A ispreferably enamel coated, and provided with a removable frame in whichadvertising matter may be inserted. Above the frame 4 are luminous signsr, i and 4, preferably rectangular in shape, placed one above the other.The top sign l preferably bears the legend D*A*N*G*E*R; the middle sign4* bears the legend Railroad crossing and the lower sign 4, bears thelegend S*T*O*P. Ihe printing on signs l 4 and 4 is pref erabl y madewith luminous paints whereby at night the headlights of approaching ve-vhicles will properly illuminate the signs; also, suitable reflectors maybe used to facilitate the illumination of said signs.

In operation, as a vehicle approaches the track B on the highway, theobstructionsB, 3, will narrow the effective width of the roadway A,compelling the driver to slow down to a sufficiently slow speed to passin a semicircular path around the obstructions 1, 1 as shownin dottedlines in Fig. 1. At the same time, the headlights of the approachingvehicle will'illuminate the danger signs 4 4, and a and warn theoperator to reduce the speed of the vehicle.

Members 1, 2, and 8 should be so positioned that vehicles must slow downto a speed of not more than ten miles an hour,

.so that after the obstructions are passed,

there is ample time for the driver to bring the vehicle to a stop beforereaching the track.

While the vehicle is passing between obstructions 1 and 3, the vehiclewill be turned on the road so that the driver will have a clear andunobstructed vision down the track in one direction, and when thevehicle passes between obstructions 1 and 2, the vehicle will be turnedon the road in the opposite direction so that the driver will have aclear and unobstructed view down the track B in the opposite direction.

My signals and obstructions may be constructed at low cost, and may bereadily erected by unskilled workmen. I do not consider my inventionlimited to the exact forms shown in the drawing, for obviously changesmay be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. A safety highway approach to railway crossings, comprising atransversely disposed obstruction in the highway restricting the normalwidth of the highway; apair of symmetrically disposed lateralobstructions in front of and converging towards said first mentionedobstruction from opposite sides of the highway; and a second pair ofsymmetrically disposed lateral obstructions behind and convergingtowards said first mentioned obstruction from opposite sides of thehighway; the distance between said obstructions beingsufiicient topermit a single vehicle to pass around each side of the first mentionedobstruction.

2. A safety highway approach to railway crossings, comprising a pair ofparallel transversely disposed obstructions in the highway restrictingthe normal width of the highway; a pair of symmetically disposed lateralobstructions in front of and converging towards said parallelobstructions from opposite sides of the highway; and a second pair ofsymmetrically disposed lateral obstructions behind and convergingtowards said parallel obstructions from opposite sides of the highway;the distance between said obstructions being sufficient to permit asingle vehicle to pass around each sideof the parallel obstructions.

3. A safety highway approach to railway crossings, comprising a pair ofparallel transversely disposed obstructions in the highway restrictingthe normal width of the highway, visual signals on each of saidohstructions; a pair of symmetrically disposed lateral obstruct-ions infront of and converging towards said parallel obstructions from oppositesides of the highway; and a second pair of symmetrically disposedlateral obstructions behind and converging towards said parallelobstructions from opposite sides of the highway; the distance betweensaid obstructions being sufiicient to permit a single vehicle to passaround each side of the parallel obstructions.

4. A safety highway approach to railway crossings, comprising a pair ofparallel transversely disposed obstructions in the highway on each sideof the crossing, restricting the normal width of the highway, visualsignals on each of said obstructions; pairs of symmetrically disposedlateral obstructions in front of and converging towards each pair ofparallel obstructions, from opposite sides of the highway; and pairs ofsymmetrically disposed lateral obstructions behind and convergingtowards each pair of parallel obstructions from" opposite sides of thehighway; the distance between said obstructions being sufiicient topermit a single vehicle to pass around the sides of each pair ofparallel obstructions.

5. A safety highway approach to railway crossings, comprising a pair ofparallel transversely disposed obstructions in the highway on each sideof the crossing, restricting the normal width of the highway; visualsignals on each of said obstructions; pairs of symmetrically disposedlateral obstructions in front of and converging to wards each pair ofparallel obstructions, from opposite sides of the highway; and pairs ofsymmetrically disposed lateral 0bstructions behind and convergingtowards each pair of parallel obstructions, from opposite sides of thehighway; the distance between adjacent ends of the said obstructionsbeing suflicient to permit a single vehicle to pass in a semi-circularpath around the sides of each pair of parallel. obstructions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix my signature.

EDMOND A. MAOBETI-I.

